A primary Commonwealth?
Posted by AlexT - 16/11/09 at 02:11 pmIn a recent opinion piece for Canada’s National Post, Canadian publisher and historian, Conrad Black puts forward a controversial idea - that the Commonwealth should become an elite organisation. 
Black argues that, while the Commonwealth can no longer credibly be described as universally sharing British traditions, it is now time for compatible nations to group together where possible.
“The U.K. will remain in the EU and Canada in NAFTA, but something could be done with a senior tier, or Primary Commonwealth, composed of the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, and perhaps Malaysia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (which would have to be drafted into the existing Commonwealth first).
Such a group would be composed of countries that do share some traditions, are mainly English-speaking (the EU parliament at Strasbourg has more interpreters than members), have hard currencies and are democracies (with a bit of liberalization in the UAE). They would have combined GDP of about $7-trillion, nearly half the U.S. and the EU, and about the same as China and Japan combined.”
Moreover, such a grouping would not be at the expense of any other country or international association.
What do you think of Conrad Black’s proposal?
Source: National Post, Friday 30 October 2009
Category : The Commonwealth's Relevance, The Official Commonwealth
Tags: Canada
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November 16th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
I’ve heard of and participated in groups debating this very idea. While it may have some virtue as a new concept, it is an antithesis to the Commonwealth ideal and cannot possibly be a good idea for the organisation as it currently stands.
For a group of states who respect diversity and equality, this is a bad move. While the member states Mr. Black could consider such and association independently of the Commonwealth, this is not a helpful addition to the Conversation.
This proposal seems to be a post-Imperial economic alliance against the superpowers of the USA and China. Not inherently a bad idea, but not for the Commonwealth.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
I strongly support Conrad Black’s proposal. It is a very good idea and should be pursued. I don’t know if the UK could be part of it since as of December 1, the UK will become part of the United States of Europe with the proclamation of the Lisbon Treaty. However, Canada, Australia (which will be a republic very soon), New Zealand, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and the UAE should proceed and form this new grouping which should be a free trade pact with a permanent council and rotating President. Other Commonwealth states can aspire to join it as they meet economic criteria. I say let’s go for it – this is a great way to make the Commonwealth important again.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Blustering rants from Black in his prison cell. The guy is a crook and an idiot. A primary Commonwealth indeed? What purpose would this serve? a bloc for a bloc’s sake?
November 17th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
It’s better than the United States of Europe.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
I think this is a fine idea, but see no reason why this economic pact has to be part of the commonwealth organisation. Simply change its name so you dont destroy the commonwealth as is, and you still get the economic benefits. For example, instead of “primary commonwealth” a title that would alienate other, poorer commonwealth members, simply change its name to something more generic.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Like the European economic community ! That would be good idea.
Not like the United states of Europe. I’m not to keen on that idea..
A primary commonwealth sounds like a good idea, in theory.
November 18th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Everyone is always banging on about the EU. Seriously, get over it. The UK is never going to leave the EU, nor will ideas like this primary Commonwealth or a Commonwealth free trade idea take off. You’re in la la land if you think so.
The only way the Commonwealth can COMPLIMENT the EU is if it makes its own case for relevence.
Democracy is meant to be its core idea.. .yet the EU is proving better at encouraging countries to liberalise prior to joining. Look at the pressure put on Turkey, for instance.
The UK has given up on the Commonwealth – so now its up to the Commonwealth to make itself relevant again. Make member governments take notice of it.
November 19th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
ageed hitash – silly silly anti-EU rants.
Cant the EU and Commonwealth work together?
January 15th, 2010 at 11:38 pm
Black’s model does have its merits, though not for the reasons he gives (that the Commonwealth is no longer “inherently British”). Indeed, a great strength of the Commonwealth is that most nations, while sharing many cultural aspects, are not inherently British. There is something to be said, though, for a strong trading alliance of large English-speaking states.
However, this idea is really parallel and distinct from the aims of the Commonwealth. It could only achieve real relevance if one of its primary goals were assistance to those poorer Commonwealth states, with the aim that one day they too could achieve the same standards of living. Imagine if, at the end of the 21st Century, all the nations of the Commonwealth could boast as high a standard of life as those of us from the privileged few nations at the top of the scale.
Many of these nations in the proposed bloc are already major providers of humanitarian aid. If consensus were achieved to focus this assistance inwards on the Commonwealth states that most need it, this idea could be a wonderful way of helping to improve the quality of life of some of the World’s most disadvantaged nations. Preferential trading with Commonwealth nations could also have a major beneficial effect on those poorer economies.
Furthermore, this bloc that Black suggests contains some of the World’s leading educational and business institutions. The theme at this year’s CHOGM of the value of young people is appropriate, as it is the youth of today that build the nations of tomorrow. With combined efforts of CANZUK/India etc., much could be done to help enhance the quality of schooling and university education throughout the Commonwealth, giving youth of those nations that most need it the knowledge and resources to build their own bright futures.
Yes, the way it’s phrased, Black’s idea does appear little more than closet racism. However, the way I see it, with these modifications, his ideas lose much of their controversy.